Suture-Retaining Device And Anchor

Abstract

A device for repairing a rotator cuff tendon injury provides a robust means for reattaching the rotator cuff tendon to the underlying humeral head. The device includes a suture-retaining device and an anchor that is mechanically coupled to a cortex of the humerus and the suture-retaining device. The anchor is attached to the cortex of the humerus to provide a robust means of holding the rotator cuff tendon in the desired position against the humeral head. The suture-retaining device, which is positioned in the intramedullary cavity of the humerus, allows a plurality of sutures that are sewn into the rotator cuff tendon to be tied thereto, and allows any suture knots to be located inside the intramedullary cavity.

1 . A device used for reattaching a rotator cuff tendon that has detached from a head of a humerus, comprising:
 a suture-retaining device to which sutures that are sewn into the rotator cuff tendon are to be attached; and   an anchor that is mechanically coupled to the suture-retaining device and having a threaded end configured for engagement with a cortex of the humerus.   
   
   
       2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the anchor is at least 50 mm. 
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the threaded portion is at least 5 mm. 
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor has a head portion to which the suture-retaining device is mechanically coupled. 
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor has an adjustable length. 
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a cannulated screw with internal threads and a secondary screw that is engaged with the internal threads of the cannulated screw, and wherein the suture-retaining device is mechanically coupled to the secondary screw. 
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suture-retaining device comprises a loop to which a plurality of sutures can be tied. 
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suture-retaining device comprises a through-hole in which the sutures are to be received and a clamp that is configured to hold the sutures received in the through-hole in place. 
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the surface of the clamp is polymer. 
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a bone screw. 
   
   
       11 . A device for supporting sutures, comprising:
 a head portion for engagement with a plurality of sutures; and   an adjustable length body portion having a threaded end for engagement with a bone.   
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the adjustable length body portion comprises a cannulated screw having the threaded end and an internal threaded portion, and a secondary screw engaged with the internal threaded portion and attached to the head portion. 
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the head portion comprises a loop. 
   
   
       14 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the head portion comprises a through-hole into which the sutures are to be inserted and a clamp for holding the sutures inserted into the through-hole in place. 
   
   
       15 . A method for repairing a rotator cuff tendon that has detached from a head of a humerus, comprising the steps of:
 anchoring a screw in a cortex of the humerus; and   attaching a plurality of sutures that have been sewn into the rotator cuff tendon to a suture-retaining device that is mechanically coupled to the screw.   
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of forming a hole through the head of the humerus and inserting the screw into the hole prior to the step of anchoring. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of mechanically coupling the suture-retaining device to the screw prior to the step of inserting. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of adjusting the position of the suture-retaining device relative to the point on the cortex of the humerus at which the screw is anchored. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the suture-retaining device is a loop and the sutures are attached to the loop by tying. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the suture-retaining device comprises a through-hole and a clamp and the sutures are attached by inserting them into the through-hole and holding them in place with the clamp.